The present invention relates generally to a method of manufacturing composite board by mixing wood particles and particles of solid urea formaldehyde together with a bonding agent to form the composite board.
Man made composite boards are made from wood and have the features of natural wood. When manufacturing composite boards, such as medium density fiber (MDF) boards or particle boards, wood is first ground into wood chips of a desired size. In one prior art composite board, the wood chips are then mixed with liquid urea formaldehyde in a blender until uniformly blended. Urea formaldehyde is a thermoset plastic. The homogenized mixture is then extruded or molded into a desired shape. The urea formaldehyde cross-links in the mixture, hardening and solidifying the composite board. The composite board can be coated with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), melamine, metal, foil, impregnated paper, wood veneer that is stained and sealed or polyester to make the composite board decorative and wear resistant and to provide other properties. The hardened composite board is then cut to a desired shape and size, and then further processed by cutting, drilling, or edging to create a component part. The composite boards can be used as cabinets, molding, storage units, desks, or other products.
When composite boards including urea formaldehyde are discarded, they are usually thrown away or burnt and not recycled. In recent years, recycling has become of increased importance due to limited landfill capacity and an increase in environmental awareness. If the composite board is burnt, harmful gases are released into the atmosphere. A drawback to the prior art composite board is that the discarded composite boards are not recycled, increasing the amount of material collected and discarded in landfills and the amount of pollution released into the atmosphere.
Hence, there is need in the art for a method of manufacturing composite board from waste material board including solid urea formaldehyde.